A Thursday teaser from the first book of the Drone Wars near-future dystopian thriller series
By Frederick Lee Brooke
All at once a motorbike pulled up right alongside, itself a good way to get shot. But the black-helmeted driver didn’t look very tough. In fact, he didn’t look fully grown. The biker tugged his helmet off, revealing the smiling mug of Matt’s youngest stepbrother.
“Benjy! Are you crazy? What’re you doing here?”
The kid wore a mile-wide grin. “I couldn’t let you go alone. It’s too dangerous.”
“Christ, what about you? You can’t ride that thing on the highway.”
“Can I stow it in the truck?”
“Hell no, Benjy. You turn right around and go home.”
“I’m not going back.”
“You have to go back, kid.” Wanda would call it in as a kidnapping. One more offense to hang around Matt Carney’s neck.
Benjy shook his head. “I’m not going back to those people.”
“That’s your mother.”
“You know what it’s like there. I can’t stay there anymore.”
The line was moving. Matt moved forward one car length. Benjy rolled alongside next to his open window.
“She said you deserved to be arrested, just like John.”
Hearing his father’s name made him blush. If you were married to someone, how could you want to destroy him?
“I don’t understand how she can turn on her own husband.”
“That’s why I can’t go back. She’s my mother, but I don’t trust her. What if she killed me while I was sleeping?”
“She’d never do that.”
“I’m not so sure.” Benjy looked on the verge of tears.
Matt got out. “Let’s get it in the truck. I can’t believe you followed me into this wasteland.”
He heaved the motorbike into the truck bed. Benjy climbed up and made sure it sat snug against the tarp, lying on its side. Melting ice had started forming into a pool of water.
“Gas won’t leak out or anything?”
“Why would it?”
“I don’t want gas leaking on my meat.”
“What meat?”
Matt lifted up one corner of the tarp. He watched Benjy’s eyes go wide.
“Mom was planning to get some meals out of that.” Benjy looked worried, the first pangs of guilt. So Benjy did have feelings for Wanda after all. He’d be a sad example of a kid if he didn’t.
Matt put a hand on his shoulder. “I left the other one in the old garage. Got two deer tonight, not just one.”
Benjy’s face lit up with admiration.
A honk blasted in their faces. A driver with a Cubs cap pulled low over his dark monobrow leaned out. “Hey, pull up. Otherwise I’m going around ya.”
Most of the cars ahead had gone through. A big gap had opened in the line. With Benjy in the passenger seat, Matt pulled the pickup forward. Guards wandered among the cars, finger on the trigger.
Instinct told Matt not to look them in the eye, just act bored. He saw the guards eyeing the motorbike with a tarpaulin bunched underneath. A dead animal would be contraband. Skinned meat wasn’t. But they could still demand their share.
Benjy turned on the radio and filled the truck with the noise of people shouting at each other.
“Do you mind?” Matt said.
“We’ve got to listen to the news. They blew up the Golden Gate Bridge.”
Saving Raine
A genuine edge-of-your seat read and thrilling sci-fi adventure! A top-rated science fiction thriller and suspense book that’ll keep your heart racing from start to finish!
5-star Amazon reviewers rave…
“The story is packed full of intrigue, action, drama, romance and colourful characters.” (Simon Jenner, Amazon Reviewer)
“…a terrific beginning to a compelling series.” (Marsha Jeanne Thalleen, Amazon Reviewer)
“…the incredible subplots will blow you away when they come full circle.” (Jenny O., Amazon Reviewer)
About SAVING RAINE…
A country torn apart by greed, corruption, and chaos.
A boy sent on a mission that could kill him.
A girl who’s in grave danger…and doesn’t have a clue.
Can Matt beat the odds stacked against him and outrun the drones raining down on his head in time to save his woman–and America?
More praise for SAVING RAINE…
“…skilled, full of action, truth, possibilities, and drama.” (Carol Keen, Amazon Reviewer)
“…an adrenaline-soaked adventure that kept this reader’s attention from beginning to end.” (Long and Short Reviews)
“…a fast paced, well written, plot driven exciting sci-fi story full of adventure.” (Kamilah S. Bryant, Amazon Reviewer)
Frederick Lee Brooke
launched the Annie Ogden Mystery Series in 2011 with Doing Max Vinyl and followed with Zombie Candy in 2012, a book that is neither about zombies nor sweets. The third mystery in the series, Collateral Damage, appeared in 2013. Saving Raine, the first book in Fred’s entirely new series, The Drone Wars, appeared in December 2013, and was followed by its sequel, Inferno, in June 2014. The Drone Wars wrapped up the series in 2015.
A resident of Switzerland, Fred has worked as a teacher, language school manager and school owner. He has three boys and two cats and recently had to learn how to operate both washing machine and dryer. He makes frequent trips back to his native Chicago.
When not writing or doing the washing, Fred can be found walking along the banks of the Rhine River, sitting in a local cafe, or visiting all the local pubs in search of his lost umbrella.
